7th DIVISION

Although a Regular Division the 7th Division was not formed until after the war had started. It was assembled at Lyndhurst between August and October 1914. Arrived in France in October 1914. Served in France and Flanders until November 1917 when the Division was transferred to Italy. Served in Italy until the Armistice (04 November 1918).

Battles and Engagements.

France and Flanders.

Battle of Langemarck. 21-24 Oct 1914.
Battle of Gheluvelt. 29-31 Oct 1914.

Battle of Neuve Chappelle. 10-13 Mar 1915.
Battle of Aubers. 9 May 1915, including the attack on Fromelles and the attack at Rue du Bois.
Battle of Festubert. 15-25 May 1915.
Second action of Givenchy. 15-25 May 1915.
Battle of Loos. 25 Sep-8 Oct 1915.

Battle of Albert. 1-13 Jul 1916, including the capture of Montauban, Mametz, Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boisselle.
Battle of Bazentin. 14-17 Jul 1916, including the capture of Longueval, Trones Wood and Ovillers.
Attacks on High Wood. 20-25 Jul 1916.
Battle of Delville Wood. 15 Jul-3 Sep 1916.
Battle of Guillemont. 3-6 Sep 1916.

German retreat to the Hindenburg Line. 14 Mar-5 Apr 1917.
Battle of Bullecourt. 3-17 May 1917.
Actions on the Hindenburg line. 20 May-16 Jun 1917.
Battle of Polygon Wood. 26 Sep-3 Oct 1917.
Battle of Broodside. 4 Oct 1917.
Second Battle of Passchendaele. 26 Oct-10 Nov 1917

Italy.

The fighting on the Asiago Plateau. 15-16 Jun 1918.
Passage of the Piave. 23 Oct-4 Nov 1918.
Capture of the Grave di Papadoli. 23-26 Oct 1918.
Crossing of the Tagliamento. 3 Nov 1918.

Infantry Units

20th Brigade.

1st Bn Grenadier Guards. Sep 1914 - 04 Aug 1915. To the Guards Division.
2nd Bn Scots Guards. Sep 1914 - 08 Aug 1915. To the Guards Division.
8th Bn Devonshire Regt. 04 Aug 1915 - 04 Nov 1918.
9th Bn Devonshire Regt. 08 Aug 1915 - 13 Sep 1918. To the 25th Division.
1/6th Bn Cheshire Regt. 09 Jan 1916 - 25 Feb 1916. To the 39th Division.
2nd Bn Border Regt. Sep 1914 - 04 Nov 1918.
2nd Bn Gordon Highlanders. Oct 1914 - 04 Nov 1918.
1/6th Bn Gordon Highlanders. 05 Dec 1914 - 05 Jan 1916. To the L of C Troops.

21st Brigade. (Exchanged with the 91st Brigade, 30th Division in Dec 1915.)

2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 19 Dec 1915. To the 30th Division.
2nd Bn Yorkshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 19 Dec 1915. To the 30th Division.
2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers. Sep 1914 - 19 Dec 1915. To the 30th Division.
2nd Bn Wiltshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 19 Dec 1915. To the 30th Division.
1/4th Bn Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. 08 Apr 1915 - 20 Dec 1915. To the 91st Brigade.

22nd Brigade.

1/8th Bn Royal Scots. 12 Nov 1914 - 19 Aug 1915. To the 51st Division.
2nd Bn Queen’s. Sep 1914 - 20 Dec 1915. To the 91st Brigade.
2nd Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 04 Nov 1918.
1/7th Bn King’s. 11 Nov 1915 - 07 Jan 1916. To the 55th Division.
2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt. 22 May 1916 - 14 Oct 1916. To the 16th Division.
1st Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Sep 1914 - 04 Nov 1918.
1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 20 Dec 1915. To the 91st Brigade.
20th Bn Manchester Regt. 20 Dec 1915 - 13 Sep 1918. To the 25th Division.
24th Bn Manchester Regt. 20 Dec 1915 - 22 May 1916. Became the Pioneer Bn.
2/1st Bn Honourable Artillery Company. 06 Oct 1916 - 04 Nov 1918.

91st Brigade.

2nd Bn Queen’s. 20 Dec 1915 - 04 Nov 1918.
1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt. 20 Dec 1915 - 04 Nov 1918.
21st Bn Manchester Regt. 20 Dec 1915 - 13 Sep 1918. To the 25th Division.
22nd Bn Manchester Regt. 20 Dec 1915 - 04 Nov 1918.
1/4th Bn Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. 20 Dec 1915 - 07 Jan 1916. To the 51st Division.

Pioneers.

24th Bn Manchester Regt. 22 May 1916 - 04 Nov 1918.

Artillery Units

A Royal Horse Artillery Brigade served with this Division, I have included it under the Royal Field Artillery as that is the role it carried out it would have been re-equipped with 18 Pdr guns at some time.

Royal Field Artillery

XIV Brigade Royal Horse Artillery. (Became an Army Brigade on 10 Feb 1917.)

C Bty RHA. Sep 1914 - 19 Oct 1914. To the 3rd Cavalry Division.
F Bty RHA. Sep 1914 - 10 Feb 1917. To the Army Brigade.
T Bty RHA. 21 Dec 1914 - 10 Feb 1917. To the Army Brigade.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 24 Jun 1916 - 10 Feb 1917. To the Army Brigade.
509th (Howitzer) Bty. 07 Oct 1916 - 13 Feb 1917. Broken up, one section going to the 31st (Howitzer) Bty, XXXV Brigade and one section going to the 35th (Howitzer) Bty, XXII Brigade.

XXII Brigade.

35th (Howitzer) Bty. 17 May 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.
104th Bty. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
105th Bty. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
106th Bty. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.

XXXV Brigade.

12th Bty. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
25th Bty. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
31st (Howitzer) Bty. 17 May 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.
58th Bty. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.

XXXVII (Howitzer) Brigade. (Joined the Division 24 Jun 1915). Broken up 17 May 1916.

31st (Howitzer) Bty. 24 Jun 1915 - 17 May 1916. To the XXXV Brigade.
35th (Howitzer) Bty. 24 Jun 1915 - 17 May 1916. To the XXII Brigade.
When the Brigade was broken up one sextion from each battery went to form D (Howitzer) Bty, XIV Brigade RHA.

Royal Garrison Artillery

111th Heavy Bty. Sep 1914 - 04 Mar 1915. To the GHQ Troops.
112th Heavy Bty. Sep 1914 - 04 Mar 1915. To the GHQ Troops.

Attached Units

55th (Howitzer) Bty. 28 Nov 1914 - 03 Mar 1915. To the 8th Division.
5th Mountain Bty. 26 Mar 1915 - 20 Apr 1915. To the 8th Division.

 

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